Whether you are trying to gain muscle or trying to lose fat, or are a newbie to the world of health and fitness, everybody must have advised you to load up on protein. Often called the building blocks of life, proteins are essential in building muscle, recover muscle loss after high intensity training and workout. Protein also helps facilitate weight loss since it takes a while for protein to break down in digest. It stays in your system for a longer spell, making you feel satiated. If you are feeling full, you are less likely to binge. Protein also helps regulate the hunger hormone ghrelin, that helps keep a check on cravings.

If you are on a high protein diet, or are planning to adopt one, make sure you do not make these common diet mistakes that could take all your weight loss efforts for a toss.

1. Be careful of the kind of protein you are taking

While it is a good weight loss strategy to switch to a high protein diet, but be sure of the kind of protein you include in your diet. Opt for lean sources of protein like chicken and fish, in addition to being high on protein, they are also much less fatty than their red counterparts in lamb and pork. Try to steer clear of bacon as much as possible, studies have claimed that fried bacon is a rich source of saturated fats.

Weight Loss: Fried bacon is a rich source of saturated fats

2. Make sure your protein intake is spread well throughout the day

Plan your day well, and make sure you include protein across all your meals, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Have protein-rich snacks like boiled eggs, nuts and protein shake too at some point of the day, to ensure steady inflow of amino acids.

Weight Loss: Plan your day well, and make sure you include protein across all your meals

3. Eliminating carbs completely from your diet

Eliminating carbohydrates or any other macronutrient from your diet may prove detrimental to your health. Carbohydrates are essential for energy, your body needs a mix of many nutrients and proteins alone cannot cater to all of them. Make sure your meals are a balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

4. Not exercising portion control

To assume that high-protein foods do not contribute to weight gain is wrong way to approach a sustainable weight loss strategy. Excess of anything is harmful. Protein helps induce satiety, which prevents you from bingeing on other fattening foods in short intervals. But if you keep eating high protein foods in excess, it would definitely lead to a calorie overload. For weight loss, you need to create a calorie deficit. Extra calories accumulate as fats.

Weight Loss: Protein helps induce satiety, which prevents you from bingeing on other fattening foods in short intervals.

5. Not having enough water

Staying hydrated is a very important component of a weight loss diet. Water helps fill you up and prevent unwanted cravings. If you are on a high protein diet, the excess nitrogen excreted during the digestion of amino acids could make you feel parched and thirsty. Therefore you must drink water from time to time. Many people on high protein diet also often complain about constipation. Drinking enough water helps soften stool and facilitate better bowel movement and digestion.